First baseman Jeff Larish is one of the top young power-hitting prospects in the Detroit Tigers' organization, a patient hitter who can drive the ball to all fields.

The three-run homer he drove over the center-field wall in the second inning highlighted his 3-for-4 performance in the SeaWolves' season-opening 8-0 win over the Binghamton Mets on Monday. The game was played before a Buck Night crowd of 2,741 at Jerry Uht Park.

After having their season-opening three-game home series against Altoona snowed out, the SeaWolves weren't bothered by a 36-degree gametime temperature or 12 mph winds that dropped the wind-chill temperatures into the 20s after sunset.

"The cold was something to get used to, but I was looking to get a good pitch to hit," Larish said. "We were able to practice out here and kind of get a feel for the cold weather."

Incorporating elements of small ball and the long ball, the SeaWolves jumped to a 7-0 lead in the first two innings and made it easy for Matt Walbeck in his managerial debut with the club.

"This feels really good personally and as a team," Walbeck said. "It's nice to know that the team's confidence showed. They were prepared and went out and played a good game. We were right where we wanted to be. We knew the weather was out of our control with the snow. Our guys weren't anxious. They were ready."

A lack of snow at Uht Park was reason enough to rejoice.

"This weather is something you have to deal with," said Larish, who accounted for Erie's final run with a sixth-inning RBI single. "You have to respond. It starts with our manager. He gets us in a good mindset and I think everybody feeds off that."

Despite having to wait an extra five days to make the SeaWolves' opening-day start, right-hander and Double-A rookie Dallas Trahern looked in midseason form, throwing six shutout innings of six-hit ball.

"I came ready to pitch today," Trahern said. "I tried to stay mentally tough through these snowouts. I know we came in to this game not letting the weather be a factor and not making excuses for anything."

Staying mentally sharp was Trahern's biggest challenge.

"Just waiting around was the toughest thing," he said. "This was my first Double-A start. I've been wanting to get out there and it was tough to wait. To kill time, I tried to find a place to live and played a lot of PlayStation. I waited it out."

Erie's offense made it easy for Trahern, 21, a sinkerball pitcher who was 6-11 with a 3.30 ERA in 25 starts at high Single-A Lakeland last season.

"He was on his game, getting his ground balls, getting ahead in the count," Walbeck said. "That's probably the best I've seen him throw. It goes to show you he was prepared. It would have been really tough for me if I were pitcher to have to wait that long. He was ready and went out there and threw a gem."

The SeaWolves scored four runs in the first and broke it open on Larish's three-run homer in the second, all against right-hander Kevin Mulvey, the New York Mets' second-round draft pick last season.

Mulvey lasted just 1 1/3 innings.

"When you get that kind of run support, you don't have to worry about anything," said Trahern, who's in his fourth season of pro ball. "I've never had a winning record in pro ball, so it was unbelievable to get that run support and get out of the gate with a good start. I was just thrilled to death."

Larish, a 6-foot 2-inch, 200-pound left-handed hitter, provided the bulk of Erie's offense, finishing with a homer, two singles, a walk, two runs scored and four RBIs.